U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/733,059 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,629, discloses a sealed electrical connector assembly including mating electrical connectors having an interfacial seal disposed between mating faces of the connectors. One of the connectors has latches which cooperate with the other connector to secure the connectors in a mated condition. The connectors may be used either with or without the interfacial seal. The interfacial seal must be compressed with significant force between the mated connectors, and it is difficult to latch the connectors together when the interfacial seal is being used. A hand tool is often used to assist in latching the connectors together when using the seal. There is a need to facilitate latching together of mating electrical connectors when an interfacial seal is used between the connectors.